Moon vows efforts to establish peace between the two Koreas

2018/04/17 18:50

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SEOUL, April 17 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in reaffirmed his resolve Tuesday to establish permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, saying the denuclearization of North Korea is the most urgent task facing his country but is only part of an ultimate objective to ensure co-existence and co-prosperity of the divided Koreas.

"The complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is the most urgent task that lies before us and a task we must complete peacefully," the president said while attending a Buddhist service held for the success of his upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The prayer meeting, organized by four major Buddhist orders here, was held at a Seoul hotel, involving some 900 people.

"I ask you to pray with a sincere hope to remove confrontation and division," the president told the meeting, according to a script of his remarks released by his office Cheong Wa Dae.

Moon is set to meet the reclusive North Korean leader next Friday for what would be a third inter-Korean summit.

Noting his meeting with Kim will soon be followed by a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader, Moon said the upcoming summits will mark a "great transition" in the history of the world.

"A North Korea-U.S. summit is scheduled to be held after the South-North Korea summit. A great transition that can create a new world order in the world history is beginning to take shape," he said.

Trump has said he will likely meet Kim in late May or early June.

Moon said the ultimate goal of his upcoming summit is to establish permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The goal is "to bring down the wall between the South and the North and build a path to co-existence and joint development," he said. "Separated families must be allowed to reunite, exchange greetings and freely visit each other."